She looked up to see Jane with Candace in her arms and John with his arm around Jane's shoulder. Bobbie stood to greet them, while holding tightly to Lucas' hand. She kissed her mother-in-law with a smile and stepped into the arms of her father-in-law. From that position she looked at Jane and said, "He's ok. He's getting better." Their eyes met and held, both expressing the feeling that only a mother can have when one of her children, no matter how old he gets to be, comes through some sort of horrible experience. As Bobbie drew away from John, she felt the unmistakable cold and shape of a gun beneath his windbreaker. He knew she had felt it and for a moment he saw her fear well up as he met her eyes in what he hoped was a reassuring look.

          "Can we see him?" Jane asked her with a quiver in her voice, breaking the tension.

          "Yes! Come on. He'll be so happy to see you. All of you." She took Candy from Jane and momentarily looked down into the baby's smiling eyes and was struck once again by how much of Jerry there was in Candace and how lucky they were to have her in their family. She handed the baby to John and turned to lead them towards Jerry's room.

          Bobbie peered inside and said, "I have a surprise for you."

          Jerry and Jax both looked up at her, startled. They had been in the middle of a somewhat one-sided conversation, Jax talking and Jerry gesturing, when she walked in through the door.

          "Shall we go away?"

          "No, no. Come in. Bring your surprise. This can wait a few moments," Jax said. Jerry looked beseechingly at his brother, hoping he wouldn't leave. He expected the big surprise to be Luke. Instead, he looked up to see his father with Candace in his arms and his mother with Lucas' hand firmly in hers.

          Jerry uttered a single syllable before he could say no more. It tore from his throat like the fire that had caused the damage, "No!"

          Luke woke with a start. He had dreamed about Lucky. The same dream, again. He hadn't had the dream for a while, but ever since he'd come to New Mexico he'd had those odd sensations and the dreams had begun again. Lucky in a fire, Luke unable to get to him. Lucky drowning in swirling rapids, Luke caught on a rock, unable to reach him. And other dreams, all on the same theme: Lucky needed some sort of assistance his father had been unable to provide. Luke wiped the sweat from his brow and walked to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror and saw an old man. He felt young in his mind, but he was getting older and had practically nothing to show for an entire lifetime of living on the edge. His wife had left him for another man, his daughter barely recognized him when he visited and his son was dead. The aunt that had raised him died not long before Lucky. He'd lost several good friends and several lovers over the years. All he had left was his sister and her family. He'd made it this far. He hadn't had a drink since the day before yesterday. Luke splashed some cold water on his face and used some mouthwash. He would help Jerry and Jax and he would return home to rebuild his life, even if it required a new foundation.

          "No!" Jerry repeated emphatically, although in a ragged whisper. He shook his head angrily when he saw his children and his parents. Lucas hid behind Jane in an attempt to avoid Jerry's obvious anger. The child had no way of knowing that his father was not angry with him, but with his own witlessness. "Bobbie!" Bobbie rushed over to Jerry as he started to cough and gave him an ice chip to hold in his mouth. From around the ice he murmured, "The children... danger... away!" But he started coughing again and couldn't finish. He looked over at Lucas through his pain and saw that the boy was crying quietly. "Lucas..."

          Bobbie turned towards her son and saw his tears. She knew that Jerry wasn't angry with Lucas, but Lucas didn't know. She went to Lucas and kneeled in front of him.

          "Honey, Jerry isn't angry at you. He was just so surprised to see you here." She paused and glanced up at John. "He's very happy to see you. Why don't you go over to him?"

          Lucas looked at her with uncertainty, but eventually he walked the distance to where Jerry sat in his bed. Jerry managed a smile in spite of his aching throat and opened his damaged arms the same way he had for Bobbie earlier in the day. Lucas ran to him and hugged him fiercely. With his tears forgotten, Lucas began to babble excitedly about his trip to New Zealand and the computer.

          "I played your new game again, Dad. I got past level seven. But Grandpa and I want to know what comes next." Jerry looked at his father and his brother. Then he looked back at his son.

          "I'll explain it to Grandpa and Jax, sport." He silently cursed at the pain speaking was causing him. Lucas was so much like he and Jax had been as boys: curious, smart, mischievous, funny and loving. Before this horror had begun, Jerry had started legal proceedings to make Lucas an "official" Jacks by adopting him. The death of Lucas' "real" father had made it an easier process; both he and Bobbie felt it would be better if Lucas shared the name that they did and that was now Candace's as well. The process would be complete in a matter of days, if it wasn't already, but Jerry didn't need court papers to love Lucas as though his own blood ran in the boy's veins. From the moment Jerry had made Bobbie his wife, Lucas had become his as well. He'd never thought he had it in him to be a father, or that he would enjoy the role so much. But he did. And he'd be damned if anyone was going to take that away from him now.

          "Hey, who started this party without me?" Luke burst into the room interrupting Jerry's thoughts. He greeted John and Jane and grabbed his niece from John's arms. Luke whirled the baby around in the air.

          "Luke!" Bobbie scolded as she retrieved her daughter from him. Luke walked over to Jerry's bed and tousled his nephew's hair.

          "Uncle Luke!"

          "Hey tiger!" he said to the boy. To Jerry he nodded and said, "Good to see your ugly face without the even uglier machinery."

          Jerry nodded and whispered "Hey, mate," in response. He was glad to see his brother-in-law was sober and had the spark of life back in his eyes. If only he could get out of bed and talk normally. There was a lot that needed to be said.

          Jerry lifted his eyes to find Bobbie's in the somewhat crowded little room. She looked at him with love and knew just what he wanted. She crossed the room and placed the baby gently in his gauze-wrapped arms. Just as he had done the day she came home with them, Jerry looked closely at the baby's small features, her delicate ears and the porcelain skin. He saw so much of Bobbie in her, the temper, the fiery hair and her gorgeous face, he never thought to see if he was in there too. But just then his daughter smiled at him and grabbed his hair. And the smile was an echo of his own. Miraculous, really, considering she was adopted. The birth mother had said the father had red hair and a remarkable smile. It was obvious that Candace had inherited both. He hoped it would add to her sense of security and safety someday to not only be loved and wanted by them, but to look like she belonged to them as well.

          A nurse entered Jerry's room and was appalled to find five adults and two children with the patient. She threw everyone out by saying, "You know the rules. Only two visitors at a time. And the children shouldn't even be here."

          Jerry reacted by instinct. He turned on his charm, smiled one of his devastating smiles and said, "Please?" He promptly winced from the pain.

          "Are they yours?" she asked with compassion and understanding. Jerry nodded forcefully. "I'm glad to see you're doing better, Mr. Jacks. Your wife and your brother have been here non-stop for six days." Jerry raised one eyebrow and grinned archly at Jax. Jax took the hint and ushered John, Jane and Luke out the door to leave the smaller version of the Jacks family to have a few moments alone together.

          As the nurse left, Bobbie went to sit on the bed at Jerry's side. Together they talked nonsense to Candace and listened intently as Lucas told them more about New Zealand and the computer game. They looked at each other when Lucas pronounced something with a less-than-American accent and again when he used some outlandish Australian slang. Lucas was still talking animatedly about the computer when Jerry looked up at Bobbie.

          "What is it?" she asked when she saw the shadow of worry move across his expression. Jerry gestured for her to take the children and go outside.

          "Dad...Jax... Luke..." he whispered.

          "You want the three of them to come in?" Jerry nodded and pointed to the ice. Bobbie deftly scooped up a piece for him and popped it in his mouth following it with a quick kiss on his cool, dry lips. Then, she plucked Candace from his arms and steered Lucas towards the door.

          "Bye Dad!" Lucas shouted from the door.

          Bobbie cringed and said, "Honey, Daddy's arms are hurt not his ears."

          This made Jerry grin. And with a mouthful of ice he said, "Later, sport." Jerry's eyes met Bobbie's across the room once again. The amount of love he saw shining there made him feel wonderful and guilty all at once. Lucas ran back to him and gave him another hug before following his mother and sister out the door. Jerry closed his eyes trying to imagine a way to explain the whole situation to his brother, father and brother-in-law without words or the use of his hands to write. It would be a challenge. But it had to be done ... now. As the three men came into his room, Jerry was pleased to see that his father had brought his computer to him. That will help me, Jerry thought, which will help us all.